To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to commission an independent review into legal aid fees.
Answered on
24 November 2020
The next phase of the Criminal Legal Aid Review will involve an independently led review, which will be ambitious and far reaching in scope. It will assess the criminal legal aid market in its entirety and aim to ensure the market meets demand now and in the future, and provides an efficient service that ensures value for money for the taxpayer, provides defendants with high-quality advice from a diverse range of practitioners, and protects access to justice. The review will consider the general level of fees for Criminal Legal Aid and whether they are broadly appropriate for the work undertaken by providers. We are currently working at pace to appoint the Chair and agree the Terms of Reference for the review and will announce these in due course.